


Aftermath

by katherinepulitzumber



Series: Look After You: Mileven Drabbles [11]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Canon Death, F/M, I LOVE HER SO MUCH, Mileven, Missing Scene, Season 3 Spoilers, Stranger Things Season 3, This is mainly from around el’s kind of pov, Wow angst, eleven is the strongest person and you can’t convince me otherwise, i wasn’t satisfied with how it was written so I rewrote it, idk to tag mileven but it’s like background but not important, it just focuses more on her and her emotions, my heart breaks for el, my heart breaks for everyone tbh, starcourt mall - Freeform, stranger things, tagging anyways, this season messed me up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-09 14:57:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19478257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherinepulitzumber/pseuds/katherinepulitzumber
Summary: The battle at the Starcourt Mall is over.  The Mind Flayer is destroyed.  Now all that’s left is to deal with the trauma.  (missing scene after the battle)





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS
> 
> I wasn’t fully satisfied with how the scene went after everything was over and El found out what happened to Hopper. I figured I’d write what I think would happen.

All over the parking lot of Starcourt Mall stood officers; guns at their hips as they surveyed the area. Each of the kids sat on the back of ambulances; shock blankets wrapped tightly around their shoulders. El pulled the blanket farther around her shoulders, wanting to sink into its warmth and hide away. Pretending it was Mike’s arms. She looked over to the paramedics assessing his small injuries to her left and took a deep breath; blowing it out through her lips. He’s alive. Mike, Max, Will, Lucas, Dustin. Alive. The party was okay. It was over. And now she just had to wait for Hopper to get back. She closed her eyes with a shakey breath reminding herself in a few minutes he would walk out and she could run to her dad’s arms and feel safe. To smell the usual scent of cigarette smoke on his uniform and feel the tickle of his mustache on her cheek as he’d hug her and tell her he was proud of her. Take away any doubts she had about her- the people she was forced to kill today. To comfort her as the only true father figure she’d ever known. Who gave her a home, new clothes, triple eggo extravaganzas, and would watch soap operas with her (even if he grumbled about it being “stupid”- he secretly enjoyed it). She caught Will throwing off his blanket and running to Joyce who’d just walked up; slowly and limping slightly. She looked like she’d been through hell and back. And to be honest- they all did. She saw the tear tracks reflecting against the broken flickering lights; making clear tracks through the dirt that was sprinkled across her face. She pulled Will into a tight hug. While startled at first, Will reciprocated the hug right away- not caring if he felt as if he couldn’t breathe. Joyce was alive. His mom was okay, his brother was okay, everyone was okay.

“Where’s-“ Will started.

Joyce pulled back and shook her head; lip trembling slightly as she recounted what had happened. The horrifying moment where she had to loose someone else she loved. And never even got to tell him.

Will’s face dropped, eyes widening and looking back to see El now wandering around; in search of a person who wouldn’t be there. Will felt himself choke on tears as he hugged his mom tightly again.

Meanwhile El walked around, ignoring the pain in her leg. This was more important. She needed to find him. She needed to find her dad.

“Hopper?” She called, her eyes focusing in and out of the bright lights, “DAD?!” She yelled louder.

Mike looked over from where he sat, hearing El’s shouting.

“HOP?! DAD!”

Mike tossed the blanket off him and walked over to El, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder. She whipped around; clutching his forearms.

“I can’t find him Mike! I can’t find Hopper!” El said, feeling her breath quicken.

“It’s okay El. He probably is talking to one of the officers.” He said, rubbing circles against her arms.

He looked over to see Joyce and Will looking at them. Will’s face white as a ghost and Joyce nearly dissolving into tears once more. It didn’t take a miracle for Mike to piece the puzzle together. There was a different reason Hopper wasn’t back. It was the worst reason.

El followed his gaze to the two standing in the middle of the parking lot. She slowly untangled herself from his arms and took a few hesitant steps forward.

“Joyce.” She said, voice raw from screaming and emotion, “W-Where’s Hopper? Where’s my dad?” Her voice cracked.

Joyce didn’t know what to say. How could she tell this girl, who’d been through so much trauma in her life, that her father was dead? More tears made their way down her face as she bit her lip; trying to find words that weren’t there.

The silence was all El needed.

She wasn’t stupid.

Her ears began ringing and her stomach turned in circles. Her head pounded worse than just from the overuse of her powers. She felt like throwing up. She felt like fainting. She felt more emotions than she thought was possible at once. Her legs shook as she took a small step backwards; as if the silence had physically hit her. And it did. It felt like a punch to the gut that she’d never recover from. Her vision blurred as tears began to make their way down her face. She couldn’t get any words out. She wanted to close herself off from the world. 

Instead, she took off.

“El!”

She ignored the yells of Mike and Will, the confused and concerned looks from the rest of the party. She ignored the pain in her leg, the pain in her head, but her heart hurt worse. Her heart felt like it’d explode in pain.

“Hey!” One of the officers called as she slid under the bright caution tape, “Stop!”

But she didn’t. She ran. She ran for her life. 

She leapt down the stairs into the mall. Where had the gate been? Where had Dustin said it was? Where was it?!

Maybe the gate wasn’t fully closed. Maybe he was still there. Maybe he was still alive. Maybe-

She felt as if she’d stopped thinking all together. The. Gate. Was. Closed. He was gone.

She could hear the yells of Mike from far behind her as he ran into the mall, the rest of the party at his heels.

It all sounded like ringing in her ears. Like she was underwater. Like she was drowning.

He. Was. Gone. The father figure she finally had. Who took care of her and made her feel loved. Who she argued with but knew they loved each other regardless. Who she knew didn’t hate Mike. Who gave her a home- physically and emotionally. Making sure she was never alone. Her friend. Her protector. Her dad. Gone.

Her hands shook as something between a whimper and a sob came from her throat. Feeling her knees buckle from under her and ignoring the pain that shot through her legs as they hit the mall floor.

“El!”

She heard the quick footsteps of Mike running. He had barely reached her; sliding on the floor and landing behind her and pulling her into his arms. She felt numb and pain all at once. El sobbed, grabbing onto Mike as if he were her lifeline. And he was. Always. Fistfuls of the front of his shirt clutched in her hands so hard her knuckles had turned white. Mike just pulled her closer- as close as he could. Her forehead fell against his collarbone as her body shook with uncontrollable sobs. Tears stained his shirt and his heart broke more with each heart wrenching cry that came from El. He kept his arms wrapped around her; trying to keep her anchored to the world. He pressed a kiss to the crown of her head; lingering there as he felt his own tears fall.

“I-It’s okay El. . . I’ve got you, alright? I-I’m here. I’ve got you.” He murmured.

He closed his eyes, resting his forehead where he’d previously kissed her before looking back at the rest of the party; standing at the front entrance, tears falling down their faces. Will must have told them what happened. He rubbed circles on El’s back as her grip on him never loosened for a second, brushing a hand through her hair.

“It’s alright. Just- Just let it out.” He whispered, breath hitching, “I-It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t. It wasn’t okay. Nobody just had the guts to say it. But secretly they all knew it wouldn’t be okay for a long time.


End file.
